Fall in Kaptai Lake water level hits power generation

CHATTOGRAM Apr 30: Power generation is being severely hampered due to drastic fall in water level of Kaptai Lake in Rangamati district caused by the prevailing drought-like situation.
Besides, comke munication and business activities here are also facing hindrance due to the disruption to normal power generation resulting from water crisis.
Smooth plying of vessels and speed boats is not being possible for the situation.
Consequently, transportation of vegetables and agro-products is facing setback causing losses to the businesses as well as sufferings to the consumers.
Sources said water level in Kaptai Lake, the largest man-made dam of the country, has decreased due to lack of rain in the current monsoon in Chattagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Rangamati and Khagrachhari hill districts have not witnessed any rainfall in the last several weeks.
As a result, water level in Kaptai Lake has decreased drastically frustrating the power general process in Kaptai Hydraulic Power Station.
There are a total of five units at the hydraulic power station.
Of these, one unit (unit number 2) is now inoperative while the rest are operative.
But units No. 1, 4 and 5 remain closed due to unavailability of required supply of water while only one unit (unit No. 3) is producing power now.
Manager of Kaptai power plant Engineer ATM Abdur Jaher said, "Water level in Kaptai Lake has fallen for absence of rainfall during the current monsoon."
"Water level in the lake was 69.02 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) on Saturday while it was 78.45 feet MSL in the last week. But, to operate all units of the plant, the water level should be at least 103 feet MSL. So, we cannot operate all units for the last several days," he added.
He said, "It is unfortunate that during monsoon there is want of adequate rainfall in Rangamati and Kaptai areas. Of our five units, three remain shut while one is inoperative for overhauling now. Only one unit is producing only 42 MW power everyday now."
It may be mentioned that the power generation project in Kaptai was inaugurated in early 1962 with two of its three planned generators putting 80 MW of electricity into the national power grid.
The third generator of 50 MW started power generation in January 1982.
A feasibility study revealed that the reservoir had a 25 per cent higher capacity than what was originally computed.
The operating data also revealed a higher value of inflow than what had initially been calculated.
In order to exploit this additional potential, two more generators having 50 MW capacity each was installed in 1988.
The power available from this dam has accelerated the establishment and expansion of industries in Bangladesh and has resulted in an appreciable saving in foreign exchange required for the import of manufactured goods.
People are suffering acutely as communication is being hampered in Kaptai and adjoining areas due to the low level of water in Kaptai Lake now.
Mohammed Idris, president of Kaptai Boat Owners Association, said water level of Kaptai Lake has gone down alarmingly now.
So, boat cannot run in the lake hampering transportation in Rangamati and adjoining areas.
Shafiqul Alam, a farmer of Rangamati, said farmers cannot carry their agro-products to Chattogram smoothly by using waterway transport.

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